The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-06
A FORTUNE MISSED.
How Pioneer Prospector Was Ridi-
culed Out of Bonanza.
From the Nevada Herald.

From the Neuada Herald.
When Joe Miller, the famous old pioneer,
first came to California there was very little
mining being done outside of the ravines,
creeks and rivers The fact that there was
gold in paying quantities in the soil of the
fats and hills had not yet been made clear,
and the man who advanced such theory
was laughed to scorn. Mr.. Miller was one
of the first to advance the slpposition, and
was once almost in possession of fortune
by putting his ideas to practical test, but
was literally tormented out of it. 1t was in
the fifties and Miller had been very sick at
Rough and Ready, which was then the
headquarters for miners along the Yuba,
being the nearest provision depot While
there he fell in with man who had arrived
with load of provisions, tools, etc, and a
partnership was the result of their acquaint-
ance. But the stock of goods soon ran low,
and one dav Miller's partner said: "Joe,
suppose we prospect little" Joe agreed,
and one morning they set forth armed with
pick, shovel and pan. After wandering
around several hours Miller determined to
leave his partner who was a very slow man
and ignorant of the art of panning, and
pushed ahead up long ravine to what is
known as Randolph fiat In this ravine
Mr.. Miller PANIED out heavy gold bracelet
and heavy gold ring, known as a eight
ing ring" and worth about 500 How this
jewelry got into the gravel in this ravine is
still mystery, as there was no one living
within several miles of the place. Not hav-
ing found good prospect Miller continued
his tramp and came to the fiat In the
ravine, at the base of the mountain and at
the edge of the fat, he obtained good pros
pect. This set him to thinking that the gold
must have been washed from the mountains
into the ravines, and it occurred to him that
if there was gold on the edge of the fiat
there must be gold in the centre
of it. To decide was to act, and
Miller at once selected spot in
the middle of the fiat and started to dig a
prospect hole. He worked hard, and
had reached depth of several feet when
his partner came up and without a word
threw himself down on the ground and
watched Miller work. After a half hour
had passed he suddenly turned to Miller
and, with a sheer, said: "What are you dig
ging that hole for!" ''For gold" said
Miller. How do you suppose gold could
get hereF' was the next question.
Miller then explained his theory, but the
only answer he received was a long, loud
laugh, and a torrent of abuse. 81 thought. ;
said the man, that had a sensible partner
but | see that he is - foollr Miller
made no answer to this abusive language
but kept on digging, and was not far from
bedrock when the two other men came by
on their way to Rough and Ready They
stopped to talk, and to them Miller's part
ner said: Look at that contemplate -
| fool He thinks there is gold here! He
thinks the gold flew from the mountain
and lit here" The newcomers joined in the
laugh against Miller, and then they, too
heaped ridicule upon him. Miller endured
it for awhile, but at last his patience gave
out and he said: 81 came from free coun
try to free country. have right to dc
as please. But if you don't leave me vii
leave YOU" He climbed out of the hole
picked up his tools and left his jeering part
ner with the other men, cd"
| Years afterward, when Randolph fiat haC
yielded fortunes to those who worked it, Mr.
Miller told the story to Herald man and
added: "There missed it, Exactly wher,
| started that prospect hole the gravel wa.
the richest. But my partner never got any
of that gold. He broke up and went off int
a part of the country where the Indians
were bad, and that was the last ever hearC
| of him."